The Cosy Seaside Chocolate Shop: The perfect heartwarming summer escape from the Kindle bestselling author. Caroline Roberts
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Emma found herself rather floored by the surprise arrival of Nathan yesterday – or Nate, she reminded herself. Her mind was still in flux. It was such a blast from the past, and yet he had changed so much from the teenager she remembered … was so like Luke.
Well, enough of the nostalgia trip; she had to shake herself up. Today was the day of Bev’s trial prosecco party and now that she had closed the shop for the day, there was a party to organise! She’d decided to welcome all the guests with a flute of prosecco and a chocolate-dipped strawberry on the side. Then they could have a go at making the dipped strawberries themselves – they were really easy to do but looked delightful and tasted delicious. Just perfect with a glass of bubbly too.
Then they would move on to the truffle-making session. She’d lined up a selection of alcohol flavourings – Irish Cream, whisky and rum worked really well – so they could choose their own favourite. She’d also have some vanilla extract for a non-alcohol version, just in case. Hmm, that set her thinking – at the professional party nights there might well be a non-drinker, or perhaps someone pregnant. Yes, she’d put out a bottle of sparkling elderflower and some non-alcohol drink options too – the elderflower was still gorgeous and bubbly. It was good that she was doing this trial run – a useful business experiment. And, even better, it was a damn good excuse for a get-together with friends.
She set out the big round table in the window with a dozen champagne flutes – she’d had to borrow eight of them from Bev, as she rarely required that many. Next, she needed to go and turn on the tempering machine, so as to keep the melted chocolate just right. That way, the beginners could work with the chocolate easily. She then went upstairs to find her festive decorations that had been packed away after Christmas, pulling out a strand of white fairy lights to give the shop a pretty glow.
After setting everything out, she looked around The Chocolate Shop – it really was lovely. She felt proud of how much she had achieved in these seven years, both for herself and her shop. The new soft furnishings in their pretty shades of blue, grey and white gave it a cosy coastal feel for the summer months and a soft toy seal that one of her nieces had given her sat on the hull-shaped shelf rack along with the rows of goody bags of fudge and truffles. On the walls, there were some black-and-white photos of Warkton in the old days, showing the fishing boats down in the harbour. Old Mrs Clark, whose husband Jim had been a fisherman, had given them to her. One image was of his old coble boat, Silver Spray. He’d died over twenty years ago, so Mrs C had told her sadly.
It was after Emma shared a little of her own loss that the old lady came up with the photos, saying she wanted Em to have them, so they could be displayed in the shop for all to enjoy, far better than being tucked away gathering dust in her cupboard.
The shop was very much a part of this community, of its history. It had seen its share of love, laughter and loss too. But tonight, Emma had a good feeling, was going to be a particularly fun one.
Next some music. She took out her small portable speaker and chose some easy-listening tracks on her iPhone to give the shop a more relaxed ambience. Great.
It was soon time to dash upstairs for a quick shower and change. The girls were due around seven-thirty. She chose to wear her black work trousers, trying to keep her outfit true to how she might dress for the formal party nights, and teamed it with a soft-pink floral top. She popped her long red hair into a ponytail, to keep it neat and out of the way.
She was just about to head back down when she heard a knock at the back door and then Bev’s voice calling up the stairs, ‘Only me! I take it I’m the first. I’m a bit early. I’ll come on up, shall I?’
‘I’m nearly ready, so I’m on my way down, actually. Hang on.’
Emma was soon heading down the stairs.
They greeted each other with a hug in the hallway. Bev had brought a lovely square glass vase filled with pink and cream roses. ‘For you.’
‘Aw, thanks Bev. They’re beautiful.’
‘Well, I can’t exactly bring you chocolates, can I?’ She smiled. ‘Oh, and these, to help with supplies.’ Bev winked, and presented her with three bottles of prosecco, which Em placed on the kitchen side.
‘Ooh, I’ll put these flowers straight through into the shop. They will complete the look perfectly.’ Em placed them carefully on the second window table. The first table being ready with the glass flutes, the bottles of alcohol to add to the truffles that she’d set out earlier, and a set of black aprons she had sourced online especially for the truffle-making session and had printed with The Chocolate Shop by the Sea logo and gold writing that read: ‘Love, laughter, chocolate and prosecco!’
‘Hah, these are brilliant.’ Bev was opening one out.
‘Thought it’d be worth the investment. Make it feel more professional, yet fun.’
‘Love them. This is so going to work, you know, Emma. It’s such a bloody good idea, dare I say so myself.’ Bev was virtually preening. ‘Prosecco parties are so my thing … Let’s pour out a glass and toast their future success.’
‘Oh, yes. Why not.’
There’s nothing quite like the sound of the popping of a cork; the sight of straw-coloured bubbles rushing into foam down the side of a glass; that first blissfully refreshing mouthful.
‘Cheers, Bev.’
‘Cheers, hun. To the most fabulous chocolate and prosecco parties ever! And to The Chocolate Shop by the Sea making lots of money.’
‘Yay! Now that would be brilliant.’ A secure financial base would be just wonderful, for who knew what might happen next to the rent or the property after the bloody landlord’s last visit. But, those negative thoughts needed to be pushed back for another day. Tonight was for enjoying themselves. ‘Well, the good news is, it might not be too long before I can do the proper licensed parties. I’ve done my research and I’ve already booked a licensing course. Once I’ve passed the exam, I have to make an application to the council.’
‘Ooh, landlady Em. You’ll need to invest in some leopard-print gear, big dangly earrings and a push-up bra!’
‘Hah, you’re thinking Bet Lynch or Barbara Windsor’s character at the Queen Vic!’
‘Ooh ah, I bet Max’ll love it.’
‘Behave woman, but hah, he probably would. Though may I say, it’ll be a much classier affair here.’
With that, two eager faces appeared at the shop door. Holly and her best friend, Jess.
‘Come in. Come in. It’s open,’ Emma called out.
‘Hi Em. Wow, it looks a-mazing in here. Love the new evening ambience.’ Holly grinned.
‘It’s really pretty,’ Jess agreed.
Within a half hour all nine guests were there, including Chloe and her friend Hannah, and were hands-on, dipping strawberries into bowls of white and dark chocolate that Emma had set out in the centre of the table.
‘I want to eat them all already. How long do they take to set?’ Jess asked.
‘Um, about twenty minutes СКАЧАТЬ